The Key Blade: Darkness Rising
by BCGuy86
Summary: It has been seven years since the events of KH2, the worlds are a much different place. A war is at hand, and heroes are in short supply... i am no good at synopsises so i hope you like it... please review CHAPTER 3 UP!
1. Seven Years of War

Chapter One - Seven Years of War…

**Chapter One - Seven Years of War…**

"Our forces in the north have fallen," An elderly man said as a table of important rulers convened.

"Are there any survivors?" The small but authoritative King Mickey asked.

The man said nothing, but the lack of eye contact that the Sultan was giving Mickey; no words were needed. It had been seven years of reports like this, watching friends and heroes fall alike. These men had formed this alliance to be a beacon of hope, a source of light that could never die. However these days the optimism that they all had started this alliance with seems like many life times ago. Each battle report was looked upon as nothing more than a prelude to hearing that another one of there champions had fallen.

"We still have Hercules holding his own in the south," King Tritone said trying to maintain a sense of morale.

"Hercules," The proud lion King Simba roared, "… He is the only thing holding our fronts together… and he will eventually fall."

The other kings in the room knew that Simba was right. They tried to bury such thoughts deep in their minds but the hope of victory had not been seen in years. The seven years of defeats that this once great alliance had suffered brought with it a horrific realization; there was no end to the war in sight.

"Listen to me," King Mickey said in the most commanding voice a mouse could have in a room so big, "This war is not without a hope of victory… if we can gather some troops from some of the smaller worlds then we can…"

"You can send them to there doom," A man said as stormed into the room.

"Leon," King Mickey yelled angered that Leon didn't respect the sanctity of this meeting, "You know you are not allowed to be in here."

"It's been seven years your majesty… for seven years we have been fighting this war. When this alliance began fighting there were eight great leaders that sat around this table," Leon said as he looked around at the four that remained, "Now they're four of you… the others have lost faith in what this alliance stood for. They use there own armies to defend their own borders… and it's not working."

"What do you suggest we do then Leon," The Sultan asked inquisitively.

"There is only one thing that could possibly bring the others back and turn the tide of this war… or should I say one person, I…"

"No," King Mickey said unhappily, "We are not bringing him into this."

"We don't have a choice your majesty, if we…" Leon tried to state before the king interrupted.

"This matter is not open for discussion Leon,"

"You're not the only person this affects your majesty," Leon yelled as he slammed his palms on the table, "We have been fighting, and for what… barely any of us remember anymore."

The four kings sat in silence; had there alliance failed so completely that now all hope could rest on one man. "I understand why when the war broke out didn't bring him into this… he was just a child," Leon said moving closer to King Mickey, "But now… all hope could ride on having him fight with us."

"I think," King Triton said regrettably, "That Leon is right… we…"

"I will not be responsible for any child's death!" King Mickey roared louder than any of them had heard him in the past.

"Then you have doomed us all," Leon said as he started his way out of the room.

Before he could take another step, they felt tremors from explosions. "They couldn't have found us this quickly…" Simba said as he looked around watching debris fall from the ceiling.

"My lords," The captain of their security said charging in the room, "We are under attack, you must make your way to the escape routes; they will be here soon."

"Auron," King Mickey yelled as he gathered the other kings, "What about all the people out there… we have to help them."

"It's too late for them," Auron said as he grabbed King Mickey yanking him away from the battle trembling door, "The alliance is all that is important."

As Auron and Mickey made there way past Leon, the king grabbed Leon pulling him close, "You must promise me you will not go to him… Promise me!" Mickey pleaded.

Leon was quiet for a moment, seeing that Auron needed to get the head of the alliance out of there headquarters before they were completely over run and said, "I will do what my heart tells me I must."

With those words Leon ran his way back to his ship, still being able to hear Mickey's plea over the battle occurring in the background. Quietly Leon said, "I am sorry your majesty."

Moments later the enemy flooded the main chambers where the kings had just been. Amongst these enemies stood a man of distinction above the others; the man looked human, his face covered in scars, with an unshaven face, and a metal gauntlet covering his left hand, and his body covered in a black trench coat. The man was angry hoping to capture that last remaining leaders of the alliance with there attack on there hidden base. "Find them, and kill them." The man said as he saw an icon in the center of the kings table. It was an icon that he had seen before, the icon of the alliance… well the former alliance.

The man picked up the icon and held it in his left hand; he smiled only slightly before crushing the old relic in his hand, and as he wiped the dust off he said, "This alliance has fallen."

Leon made his way to his gummy ship which due to his unnaturally high paranoia he had ordered his crew to set down away from the castle. He saw Cid preparing the ship for launch as he got closer. Leon knew that if the enemy wasn't already behind him they would be shortly and he couldn't risk them being followed. Quickly Leon boarded the ship and ordered Cid to take off.

"Where are we setting course to Leon," Cid asked.

"Destiny Island,"


	2. Finding Our Champion

**Chapter 2 – Finding Our Champion**

"It has been two weeks since we left the ambush…" Tifa said as she monitored the ships course while Leon sat listening to another one of her painfully long rants, "You're telling me that in two weeks we still aren't near Destiny Island?"

"No Tifa," Leon said getting up from his seat to check on the status of there weapons, "I am telling you that we can't risk being followed and every third day we get ambushed."

"Well maybe you should have thought about that before you signed us up for this suicide mission!" Tifa yelled as loud as she could.

Tifa wasn't mad at Leon, but in two weeks they had been attacked four times. Not that fighting for their lives was something new to the crew, but it was different this time, almost more desperate this time. Before the ship would be chased and if they weren't caught after an hour or so; their pursuers would break away. That wasn't the case now, before they never would have fought so hard to board the ship… they wouldn't have cared; they wouldn't have put Cid in the infirmary.

That is what made these attacks so different than the ones they were used to; this time it wasn't about just capturing the crew… it was about stopping them by any means necessary. Out of all the missions they had done together in the last seven years that is what made this one so different, the stakes were so much higher.

"What is with all the yelling," Aerith asked as she entered the bridge, "I heard you guys yelling from all the way back in the infirmary."

The silence in the room said it all… the tension on the ship was so much higher than it ever had been before. They were all just looking for a way to release it; that was why Aerith's job had been so busy over the last few days… in-crew fighting. "Is there any change?" Leon asked hoping for some good news.

"I've done all I can for him here Leon," Aerith said wishing she could sound less like the ships medic and more like a human being, "But without better facilities… he…"

"What about Port Royal," Tifa asked, "At most it is two days away from here… we can…"

"No," Leon said to what the others seemed so callously about a simple request that could save their friends life.

"You're just going to say no like that…" Tifa demanded stepping right in front of Leon.

"Leon… he could die if we don't," Aerith pleaded.

"And he will die if we do," Leon said making his way to leave the bridge before stopping for a moment to add, "We all will if we don't."

Before another word could be spoken on the matter the alarms started sounding, not even a moment was needed to realize what this meant. "They found us quicker this time," Tifa said as she went to pilot the ship.

"Aerith," Leon said as he took front weapons control, "Man the rear guns… and get Yuffie here, now!"

Aerith had never been yelled at by Leon like that before, and he had never had that look of worry on his face either. "Oh my god…" Leon said as he used the screen in front of him to get a look at their pursuers.

"How many fighters there this time… six, seven…" Tifa asked feeling the rumble after each impact to there hull.

"None…" Leon said as the most recent impact took primary power off line, "Two destroyers."

Tifa wanted to say something, but found that Leon's words almost paralyzed her with fear. Over the last two weeks they had barely been able to fend off the advances of the fighter squads sent to stop them, but in the last seven years no one had ever engaged a destroyer and survived.

Yuffie climbed her way to the bridge as the torpedo impacts had stopped the elevators. "Where do you need me Leon?" She asked as she wiped the sweat, blood, and dirt off her face.

"Come with me," Leon said as he grabbed her arm and dragged her with him.

"But what about the forward guns," Yuffie asked trying to keep up with Leon, "We will be destroyed."

"The forward guns went off line two minutes ago," Leon said continuing to lead the way, "We are sitting ducks now."

Leon and Yuffie made their way down the compartments to the lower deck. Each step they took down the ladder they could feel the impacts shaking the ship. Leon wanted to yell to Tifa to keep his ship together, but with the kind of fire power they were up against he knew there was nothing that could be done. If he couldn't get Yuffie ready quick enough then the last hope they had would die with them.

"Ok, take this…" Leon said shoving a computer disk and folded piece of paper into Yuffie's hand, "And get into the escape pod."

"I'm not leaving you guys Leon," Yuffie demanded almost insulted that she was being asked to leave her friends and ship behind and run like a coward, "We can win this."

"Yuffie," Leon said preparing the escape pods instruments in spite of her objections, "This pod is set to take you to Destiny Island. When you find him, give him that note."

"I can't leave," Yuffie said almost crying at the idea of leaving her friends behind.

"We will give you the time you need to get out of their scanners range," Leon said throwing a survival pack into the small pod.

"Are you even listening to me," Yuffie asked.

"You have to go," Leon said grabbing her by the arms, "Nothing is more important than this mission."

Before another word of objection could be said, Leon pushed her into the pod and started to prepare it for final launch. "Yuffie," He said as he prepared to punch the final launch button, "We will meet you at Destiny Island in five days."

"What if you don't show up?" Yuffie asked hoping to hear some comforting words.

"Nothing is more important than the mission," Leon said as he launched the pod away from the ship.

Yuffie slammed her hands on the glass window of the pod, so angry that Leon was making her leave, so angry that there was nothing she could do but watch the slowly fading picture of her ship. It took only a few minutes for the battle that was so large a few minutes ago to become nothing more than unrecognizable bleeps in space. There was nothing she could do, but wait… wait and hope her friends sacrifice had not been in vein.

Summer days were beautiful in Destiny Island; always the right amount of sun, a perfect breeze, and the sun set always seemed to paint a beautiful picture in the sky. Today was one of those beautiful days, the young man thought to himself as he sat on the broken palm tree that had served as his own personal bench for years now. The man had always thought he appreciated the tranquil scenery that was provided every day more than the islands other inhabitants. Throughout his years he had seen so many other places; everything from majestic castles to creatures of nightmare. However, all of it seemed so distant when he stared out at the ocean at this time of day.

"You know," A young red haired beauty said as she placed her had softly on the man's shoulder, "I find it ironic that you come here to sit."

The man placed his own hand over the young ladies hand and squeezed it softly before responding, "Why is that," He softly asked.

"This is the place I stood that morning… the morning when you two came falling out of the sky and came back home." The women responded staring as the sun was beginning to give way to the night sky.

"It was practically another life time ago," the man said as he chuckled to himself.

"It wasn't that long ago," The lady answered as she moved from behind him to sitting next to him while he held her in his arm, "Why do you come here every Sunday?"

The question threw the young man for a loop; not that he had not thought about it himself, but for most people the pleasant scenery seemed like the logical reason for anyone to come out here and do nothing more than sit. However she knew the man better than that… simply sitting though well and fine was not a good enough reason for him.

"I don't know," The man responded still trying to figure the reason out himself, "I just get this feeling… and every time I do… I end up here."

The girl was quiet for a moment, thinking about what to say next. "Maybe… waiting for that next adventure," She finally decided to go with.

"My adventure days are long gone," The boy said as he picked a small pebble up that was lying next to him.

The boy got up from next to the girl and tossed the pebble up and down catching it in the palm of his hand. Though he did not think this was the reason his mind started to drift to days long ago forgotten; to traveling the worlds, to new and exotic friends, to being a legend.

"Those days might be over," The girl said as she moved to stand next to him, and slowly pointed to his head and heart. "But I think they are still very much alive here… and here too."

Was she right, the man didn't know; however the moon in the night sky made it clear that the time had come for them to leave their childhood hang out and return to the main island before the sun started to rise again. "Let's go," The man said softly as he turned away from the beach.

"…First star I see tonight; I wish I may, I wish I might…" She quietly said looking up at the night sky.

"What are you doing," The man asked making his way back over to the girl.

"Wishing on a falling star…" The girl replied as she pointed into the night sky, "See… there."

It took him a moment, but he did see the falling star that was being wished on by the girl. However something seemed different about it in comparison to the rest of the night sky, it seemed like it was getting closer. The man rubbed his eyes to make sure it was not an allusion of some kind, but it was not this falling star was coming closer with each passing moment.

"Let's get to the shed…" The man said grabbing her by the hand, "Now!"

Quickly they ran to the old shed in hopes of providing some cover from the falling object should it hit the island. As soon as they entered the shed the man used his own body to hold the door shut and then held the girl tightly in his arms, putting her safety above his own.

It seemed to take forever for something to happen, but they both knew the moment they eased up something big would happen. Then suddenly a flash of light filled the sky; every crack and whole in the shed let in a blast of the brilliant light that seemed to create a second day for a moment. The boy looked around the shed seeing the return of the night to there sky. "I think it is safe," The man said unsure if he was right or if it was nothing more than wishful thinking.

"I am going to go check," He added lightly pushing the girl away from the door.

"If you think you are going to leave me here then you don't know me at all," The girl replied as she grabbed onto his arm while he opened the door.

To be honest he knew the girl wouldn't want to be side lined for this, in all the time that they had known each other she had never been the type of girl to wait for any man to go first. As they stepped outside everything seemed… normal; nothing out of place, no sand picked up, even the palm trees seemed little more than rattled. The man began to think that the catastrophe that he and the girl had seen was nothing more than something they made up in there minds.

"What is that," The girl asked pointing at the ocean line.

There it was a shadowy figure emerging from the water. Slowly the man approached the figure with caution and intrigue ready in hand. It took a few steps to realize that this shadowy figure was a female, a few steps after that he saw the shredded clothing that covered her; and then a final step closer beyond all the scars, dirt, water and blood… he saw her face.

"Yuffie," The man said hardly able to believe her remembered her after so many years.

"No way," The girl said looking at the girl standing in front of them for the first time, "What happened to you?"

Yuffie laughed, almost one of those laughs that make you uncomfortable to be so close to the person, but given her obviously fragile state neither of them wanted to risk leaving her alone. "Why are you here," The man asked as he was about to put his hand on her shoulder.

Before another word could be spoken Yuffie collapsed to the ground, unable to hold her self up given her recent trauma. "He told me… he told me I'd find…. He told me…" Yuffie said incoherently to the night sky as the man and lady moved to her side.

"Find… find who, find what," The man asked holding her head up.

"Find… you… You Sora," Yuffie said as she finally gave way to the fatigue and passed out.

--

Thanks everyone that reviewed, i hope the second chapter is up to par... will be working on the third


	3. Choose Your Path

**Chapter 3 – Choose Your Path**

Three days had passed on Destiny Island since Yuffie had crashed into the ocean and collapsed in front of Sora and Kairi. When the two had found her she was barely holding on to life. Every breath that she took was its own miracle. As a young adult Sora had a life that he needed to live, however the mystery of why Yuffie had come all the way to the small Destiny Island would not allow him to leave her side. This was a fact that did not go unnoticed by Kairi in the three days since Yuffie's arrival. The fragile state that their friend was in minimized the amount of jealousy that Kairi could feel. There were also the last cryptic words that left Yuffie's mouth before passing out three nights ago, 'find you Sora'.

Sora barely even noticed when Kairi entered their room; his mind was too lost in thought to notice anything aside from the rhythmic breathing of their current houseguest. "How is she," Kairi asked putting her hand softly on the back of Sora's neck, something he normally enjoyed.

"The doctor came back earlier…" Sora said getting up from his bed side chair leaving Kairi's hand dangling in thin air, "There's no change yet."

Sora stared out the window towards the ocean where they had found her three nights ago. The light breeze was some how comforting to Sora. Though it provided him with no answers. He was allowed a brief reprisal from the situation that was in front of him.

At this point in their lives Kairi considered herself to be a Sora expert, however, you wouldn't have to be a Sora expert to see that look in his eye's… a look of complete confusion. Unfortunately this was not the first time that Kairi had seen this particular kind of lost look on Sora's face, all you had to do to see that face was look back six years ago.

Kairi slid down from the arm of the bed side chair and continued to stare at the man staring out the window. He looked like the Sora that she cared for, but how he was acting reminded her more of a different man. A man she had met when they all returned to Destiny Island. She remembered those times clearly; it had been nearly a year since they had finally made their way back home. On the surface life had returned to normal for all of them, Kairi's heart told her that the man who had returned with them was not Sora at all. This man spent all his time out on the island staring into the sky, nothing in his life seemed to matter, and worst of all every word that she would try and say would just drive him further away.

"Where am I," A weak voice said pulling both of them out of their thoughts and bringing them both to Yuffie.

"Don't you remember," Kairi asked trying to prevent Yuffie from moving afraid that she might damage herself further, "You came here looking for Sora…"

It took only a moment for the memories to come pouring back into Yuffie's mind, the attacks, the war… everything. If the change in face wasn't enough, the few tears running from her eyes onto the bed gave it away; she remembered. There were so many questions that they all had for one another, but before any of them could be asked exhaustion won out as Yuffie's eyes once again closed.

The morning was colder than most this time of the year; the clouds blocked out the rays of the sun today. Sora had spent the night and the beginning of the morning staring at an old leather bound book… his journal. After Sora's adventures as the Keyblade Wielder had ended he found himself unable to return to the mundane life that Destiny Island had to offer. This feeling of dissatisfaction eventually grew to sadness, and the sadness turned into hate. It was ironic in retrospect; so much of Sora's journey had been to return to his friends, to return home. However the person he had become was different and Destiny Island didn't feel like the home he had searched so hard for… he felt lost. For years after returning he stayed lost, there was no one on this island that could understand what Sora felt every morning waking up in a tropical "paradise" after everything he had been through. It was then, one day when walking on the beach, as he did every morning that he found a journal sitting in the sand almost waiting for him. Sora took the journal home, and did something he had never really done… he wrote his story down. It didn't make much sense to Sora, but some how writing in this journal cleansed all the anger that Sora felt and allowed him to move on with his life.

All Sora could do was stare at the journal that had helped him so long ago. He had pulled it out last night because he felt lost again, but this time he didn't know how to put it down on paper. "And I thought Leon had the market cornered on brooding," Yuffie said limping her way into the living room trying to lighten the mood.

The comment pulled Sora from his thoughts and brought him back to the present. "I didn't expect you to be up so soon," Sora stated as Yuffie set herself down on the seat next to his.

"Well unfortunately," Yuffie said staring at the cuts on her arms, "I have had worse these last few years."

For a moment Sora had let himself forget that Yuffie wasn't here to see an old friend who he hadn't seen in a while. There were so many questions that Sora wanted to ask her, but which one to start with?

"Why are you here," Kairi's voice asked as she entered the house to join Sora on the sofa.

If silence speaks volumes, Yuffie's lack of words was speaking encyclopedias. They could tell that whatever the reason was that brought Yuffie to their island weighed heavily on her mind. "We need Sora's help," Yuffie timidly answered.

From the time when they had left the island as children to all the years since they had returned, those were the four words that Kairi had always feared but inevitably she it would come. However much hearing the words broke Kairi's heart the look on Sora's face broke it all the more. There was no sadness in his eyes, no worry in his mouth… only a look of adventure that reminded her of that boy she met all those years ago.

"I can't go," Sora replied.

The two girls sat in shock; this couldn't be Sora, wielder of the Keyblade… the hero whose legend was feared by even those with unimaginable power. How could that hero say no to Yuffie in not only her, but also everyone's hour of need.

"I don't think you understand Sora…" Yuffie said trying to make her point across.

"You're right Yuffie," Sora said as he grabbed his journal and started walking to the door, "But… I… I just can't."

Even Sora thought that he was a coward at this point. He hadn't even heard her out before leaving the house. What kind of person wouldn't even take the time to hear what someone had to say, someone who obviously had risked a great deal in coming here? Suddenly Sora was filled with shame… the shame quickly turned to anger and with all his might he threw the old leather bound journal as far into the ocean as his arms would allow him to.

"Anger and fear…" Yuffie said using a crutch to help counter the fact that she had broken her foot in the crash, "Two traits I never would have thought I would find in you."

"I'm sorry," Sora said before hearing or saying another word.

"You didn't even hear me out," Yuffie said sitting on a large rock next to where Sora was standing.

There were no good words. No words in the English language could come together in sentence form that could make sense of why Sora couldn't do this. Somehow he just knew it was wrong… or was he afraid? That might be where some of the problem was coming from, how could he help anyone when the answer to a simple question eluded him?

"You don't have to help us," Yuffie said seeing that Sora was about to walk away again, "Free will and all… you know? But… you're a hero Sora, that is who you are… and if you deny who you are… if you don't stand when it really matters, well, then you are no better than the people who do evil in this world."

Those words struck a cord with Sora… he had heard them before, maybe it was the king, or Donald… maybe even Goofy. "Who told you that," Sora asked stopping in his tracks.

"I learned that from you," Yuffie answered as she used her crutch to stand next to Sora, "Leon will be here in the morning… if you're there when we take off then we can really use your help."

"And if I'm not…" Sora asked.

"Then I guess you were never the person I was looking for to begin with," Yuffie said as she left Sora to dwell in his thoughts for a while.

Sora tried to quietly enter the house; he didn't want to wake Kairi this late at night. Slowly he entered their room… seeing her lay there so peacefully was agonizing to him. For most of Sora's life he had felt like two people; the man that he always saw when looking into the mirror and the legend that people always talked about. This was the first time however where he had to choose between the two people. There wasn't a choice; as much as he loved Kairi… this was his destiny.

"I love you," Sora whispered into Kairi's ear as he placed a note and ring on their dresser, "I hope you can forgive me…"

The walk to the ship was the longest Sora had ever taken, or at least that was the way it felt. Every step he took further away from Kairi broke his heart more; regardless of how much this was the 'right' thing to do. Sora tried desperately to keep his mind away from the thoughts of how difficult it was to get back here after his first adventure… maybe this time he wouldn't be so lucky.

"I wasn't sure if you would come," Leon said seeing Sora from over the hill, having to raise his hand to block the morning sun from his eyes.

"Leon…" Sora said holding his hand out to his old friend.

"Sora," Leon nonchalantly answered.

"Promise me that by doing this… it will keep her and this place safe." Sora asked his Leon.

"I can't promise you that," Leon said wishing he could provide some form of comfort before their departure, "But I can promise you that we will fight to our last breath to keep everyone safe."

Sora looked around at the island, something in his heart told him that when he entered that ship it would be the last time he ever stepped foot on the island again. That this would be the last day he ever felt the wind blow in his hair, feel the oceans spray on his face…the last time he saw Kairi.

"The longer we stay here, the more we put this place in danger," Leon said standing ready to close the hatch doors the moment Sora was all aboard.

"Yea you are right we should…" Sora was saying till a voice boomed from over the hill.

"Sora," Kairi yelled making her way to the ship.

Kairi stood right next to Sora, putting her hand over Sora's mouth before he could speak. "This time you're not in it alone… it's only the two of us now. I'm not going to lose you too."

The protective side of Sora wanted to rattle off the list of reasons why he needed to go without her, but the side of him that had known Kairi knew that trying to talk her out of an idea after her mind was made up was fighting an up hill battle with little chance at success.

"Looks like you've got double the help you bargained for," Sora said turning to Leon.

"Trust me… we can use all the help we can get," Leon said as the hanger door closed.

"Before we go anywhere…" Sora said grabbing Leon by the arm, "I am assuming that things aren't good right… what's going on?"

"It's bad… really bad," Leon answered.

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I would like to thank all of you that reviewed my story... and a special thanks to Coffee-House-Girl for helping me by beta-ing my chapters... Look for an update soon.


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